Flying machine



Oct. 14, 1947. FlUMEDORo 2,428,794

- FLYING MACHINE Filed Aug. 25, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor Cd. 14,1947. J FIUMEDORQ 2,428,794

' FLYING MACHINE Filed Aug. 25," 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventdr 'OCL 14,1947. A J, FluMEDoRo 2,428,794

FLYING MACHINE.

Filed Aug 25, 1943- 5 Sheets-Sheet s Inventor Patented Oct. 14, 1947FLYING MACHINE Ali J. Fiumedoro, South Boston, Mass., assignor ofone-half to Joseph Silin, Brookline, Mass.

Application August 25, 1943, Serial No. 499,953

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in flyingmachines of the helicopter type, and has for its primary object toprovide a craft of this character comprising unique directional controlmeans.

Another very important object of the invention is to provide a flyingmachine of the aforementioned character comprising a cabin and a rotor,together with novel means for mounting said rotor on said cabin.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a flying machine of thecharacter described which will be comparatively simple in construction,strong, durable, highly efficient and reliable in operation, light inweight, and which may be manufactured at low cost.

All of the foregoing, and still further objects and advantages of theinvention will become apparent from a study of the followingspecification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing whereinlike characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a flying machine constructed inaccordance with the present invention,

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is a, view in vertical longitudinal section through themachine.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the directional control mechanism.

Figure 5 is an elevational view of the control lever.

Figure 6 is a view in horizontal section through an intermediate portionof the machine.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that theembodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises asubstantially bulbous fuselage or cabin which is designated generally byreference numeral I, said cabin being of any suitable material anddimensions. The cabin l includes on its top a reduced, upstanding neck 2which is provided, on its upper end, with an external flange 3. Anobservation dome 4 of suitable transparent material is mounted on theflange 3.

Mounted for operation in a horizontal plane on the neck portion 2 of thecabin l is a rotor which is designated generally by reference numeral 5.The rotor 5 includes a ring 6 which is journaled in bearings I which areprovided therefor in a circumferential groove or channel in the neck 2.Formed integrally with the ring 6 and depending therefrom is an annularbeveled 4 Claims. (Cl. 244-17) gear 1'. Wings or blades 8 radiate fromthe ring 'IB by universal joints l9.

6. A circular housing 9 on the inner portions of the blades 8 enclosesthe ring 8, the gear 1, et cetera.

An engine I0 is mounted in the lower portion of the cabin l. The enginell} actuates a beveled gear H which drives the gear 1' for turning therotor 5. It will be observed that the operator l2 sits on the engineIII. A suitable seat for the operator may be provided on the engine Hi.Also, the engine Ill may, if necessary, be insulated to permit sittingthereon. A substantially C-shaped fuel tank I3 for the engine I0 ismounted horizontally in the cabin I at an intermediate point.

Mounted for universal swinging movement in the front portion of thecabin l is a substantially T-shaped lever l4. Fixed transversely on thestem I5 of the lever I4 at an intermediate point is a cross member IS. Apair of upper rods ll and a single lower rod I8 extend slidably throughthe front of the cabin I. The rods I! are connected, at their rear ends,to the cross member The corresponding end of the lower rod I8 isconnected to the lower end portion of the lever stem I5 by a similaruniversal joint 20. In the embodiment shown, the lever stem [5 ismounted, at an intermediate point, on an intermediate portion of thefuel tank 13 through the medium of a ball and socket connection 2 l.Mounted on the outer or forward ends of the rods I1 and I8 is a controlsurface 22 in the form of a disk of suitable material. Universal joints23 connect the control surface 22 to the members I1 and I8. Any suitablemeans may be provided to reduce motor torque on the fuselage, such as asecond rotor driven in a direction opposite that in which rotor 5 isdriven.

It is thought that the operation of the craft will be readily apparentfrom a consideration of the foregoing. Briefly, the power plant Ii]actuates the rotor 5 for causing the craft to ascend or descend. As seenin Figure 3 of the drawing, the operator l2 sits on the power plant H3with the upper portion of his body in the neck portion 2 and his headprojecting upwardly into the transparent dome 4. With the controlsurface 22 in the position shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the drawing,the craft will ascend and descend vertically. The operator grips thehandle 24 of the lever 14 for adjusting the control surface 22. Whenforward or reverse travel is desired, the stem 15 of the lever I4 isswung forwardly or rearwardly for tilting the control surface 22 in avertical plane to the desired inclination. The air blast or wash fromthe rotor 5, striking the inclined control surface 22, propels the craftfor- 3 wardly or rearwardly. For causing the machine to travel to theright or to the left, the handle 2d of the lever I4 is also swung ina.horizontal plane for swinging the control surface 22 laterally throughthe medium of the members l6 and I1. 5

The control surface 22 is capable of compound movement, whereby thecraft may be caused to travel in any direction.

It is believed that the many' a dvanta'gje's of 'a' flying machineconstructed in accordance with 10 the present invention will be readilyunderstood,

and although a preferred embodiment of said maichine is as illustratedand described, it isvto be understood that changes in the details ofc'orfstruction and in the combination and:-arrange= 1 ment of parts maybe resorted to whichiwilffalli Within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A flying machine comprising a cabin,-,a-r o't'or:- operable on thecabin, a plurality of horizontal 2o rods longitudinally slidablethroughone side of the cabin, a/vertical control surface mounted-on theouter ends of the rods to shift about horizontal and vertical axes andpositioned-beneath the rotor for receiving the wash therefrom, and 25 alever in the cabinconnected tothe rods'for shifting the control surfaceabout horizontal and vertical-axes." Y 7 1 2. A flyingmachineotthe-character described comprising a substantially bulbouscabin'includ- 3() ing areducedvertical neckon its'upper portion,a'tra-nsparentdome mounted on-saidneclg rotor including ahorizontalringzjournaledon the neck and horizontal blades radiating from: saidring,

and a-power. plant in'thecabin operativel-y con' 35,

nectedtotheringlfor"actuating the rotor-1 3.- A -fiying-machine of thecharacter: described 1 comprising a substantially bulbous cabin including a reduced-vertioal-neck 0n-its upper=end; said a neck having acircumferential groove therein, bearings in the groove, a flange on theupper end of the neck, a transparent dome on said flange,

operable on the cabin, a plurality of horizontal rods longitudinallyslidable through one side of 5ithe2 cabin-s0 as to provide a pair ofupper rods an'd a singlezlowerfrod, a vertical control surface,

universal. jointsbetween the outer ends of said rods" and said controlsurface, a vertical lever m'ouht'ediin the cabin for turning about itslongitudinal axis and tilting about a horizontal axis; across-barcarriedby; the lever; above its point of mountingand: having: itsopposite ends uni versally .connectedto the inner ends of,-therespectiveupper rods anda universal j oint between the lowerrodandthe-lower end of said-levers ALi-J, FIUMEDORQ- EFERENCES CITED- 7The following references are of record-lathefilefof this patent} w pUNITED STATES PATENTS- Number Name" Date.

551,834 Monsen: Sept. 1,1925 1,819,863 Bleeker Aug. 18,1931 2,036,587-Lind: Apr. '7, 1936 1,868,392: Leffert c' July"19-,.1932; 2,058,678

Fry 1001127, 193s

